Please Stay
by MrsCatherineWinter
Summary: Professor Layton begs Emmy to stay when she is about to leave...
_First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you were so kind as to write me a message to tell me of them, I would immediately correct them._

 _Disclaimer: All figures belong to Nintendo/Level 5 and I don't earn my money with these stories._

 **Please Stay**

The moment Emmy entered his office at the university with her luggage he knew that this was it – the moment he had feared since her betrayal. Her goodbye…

"Well, Professor. I suppose this is it" she said.

He looked at her sadly. "You're really leaving?"

"I have to" she just replied. "Targent is no more. And well… That means my mission is over. There's no reason for me to stay here with you."

That statement hurt. No reason for her to stay with him… No reason at all… He had arguments in his head to convince her to stay but if there is not even the slightest chance… Although his inside was screaming he calmly answered: "You may have no mission but a professor still needs an assistant, doesn't he?"

That made her laugh. She seemed to get along with this goodbye better than him as she went to his window and looked down into the garden. "Heh. That's true. Especially a professor who has a tendency to go on wild and dangerous adventures!"

"Indeed" he chuckled but it was a fake laugh. "You have a point."

"One day, when I'm worthy of being your assistant, perhaps I'll come back" she now said.

 _Worthy?_ he thought. _Of course, you're worthy, my dear!_

She went on noticing nothing of his distress. "But in the meantime I think you have an excellent candidate already. Luke is the keenest and most reliable assistant one could hope for."

Oh yes, he was – but he was not the one he was in love with…

"Anyway" she now announced and went to her luggage. "I should be going."

"Right…" he replied sadly. Was this really it? Not even a last smile or a handshake? He stared at her back as she stood on his doorstep, her suit case in hand, but not going.

And then suddenly she shortly cried out, turned and flung her arms around his neck.

He was so shocked he couldn't react at first but when she said "Goodbye, Professor Layton" in an almost broken voice he realised that she also was devastated about her leaving. That was everything he needed. He smiled, then took her shoulders, looked her in the eye and said: "Thank you, Emmy."

"For what?" she asked confused and he could detect a tear in the corner of one eye.

"For letting me know that you like me."

"Of course, I like you" she said at once and smiled warmly. "I always have, from the very first moment we met. Do you remember?"

He nodded but didn't think of the thieving incident but her first day as his assistant. But in the end that didn't really matter. "Emmy" he then said seriously, "please stay."

She looked at him panicked and more tears were swimming in her eyes now. Then she shook her head wildly and almost cried: "I can't! I can't!"

"And why is that, my dear?"

"I don't belong here! I betrayed you! I don't deserve being in your presence or Luke's anymore!"

"But that's not true" he tried to calm her but she just kept on shaking her head and whispering: "I can't! I betrayed you!" as if she was mad.

Then she quickly turned around, got her suit case and ran down the hallway.

The professor needed only one second to run after her. "Please, Emmy!" he shouted because she was faster than him. "Please, stay!"

She shook her head again and kept on running. When she reached the front door of the university he screamed: "Emmy, please, stay! I love you!"

Suddenly she stopped as if his words had taken all her energy.

He went to her and stood behind her.

She didn't turn around but he noticed that she was silently sobbing.

"Emmy" he said softly. "Please, I already lost someone I love and I couldn't prevent it. But this time I can! Please, stay."

Again she just shook her head.

"Yes, you did betray us" he replied without criticism. "But you had no choice, hadn't you? You owed Bronev too much to back down in the end, not to mention what Targent would have done to you if you didn't do it. What I want to say is that I understand your reason for having done it and since it wasn't because you hated Luke or me I can forgive you. In fact, I already have." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her slowly around so that he could see her tearful face. "I love you, my dear Emmy. You and Luke you are the greatest joy of my life. Please don't go."

She looked at him and seemed to think about his words. Finally, she again shortly cried out and then hugged the professor tightly, crying hard.

He had never before see her cry and it was terrifying to see her in this state but he was glad that his tenacity made her stay in the end. He softly stroked her hair and slowly she calmed down again.

"I love you, too, Professor" she mumbled after a while.

He kissed her head and smiled very happily.

She quickly dried her cheeks and eyes and looked at him. She gave him a small kiss on the lips with a sad and at the same time happy smile.

"Shall I make us some tea?" he then offered.

This made her laugh. "Yes, please."

He took her suit case and together they went into his office once more to have some wonderful tea as if nothing ever happened.

THE END.


End file.
